France has approved a law that would bar children under 15 from social media starting September 1, 2026, putting it on course to become the first EU country to impose a nationwide restriction like this.
There’s still a legal hurdle. France’s Constitutional Council has to clear the law first. If it does, new accounts for under-15s would be blocked from September 1, 2026, and existing accounts held by users under 15 would have to be closed by January 1, 2027. If the Council objects, enforcement could be pushed back or parts of the law could be revised.
Platforms would have to use age-verification checks approved by France’s privacy regulator. Online encyclopedias, plus educational and scientific directories, are exempt. The broader French bill also includes a ban on mobile phone use in high schools.
French officials say 90% of 12- to 17-year-olds use smartphones every day, and that more than half spend between two and five hours a day on their devices. Supporters of the law point to self-esteem problems, addiction, cyberbullying, and harmful content. Critics, for their part, question whether it will hold up constitutionally, raise privacy concerns, and note how easy it could be to get around with VPNs or false information.
The French measure would apply across social platforms in France, and this debate probably won’t stay there. Expect similar arguments elsewhere, especially after Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s and parallel moves in Spain, Denmark, Greece, the UAE, Brazil, Gabon, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe.
Author: Monique Irish Casingal
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